Not Even A Crumb and the Celiac Disease Foundation are creating a series of public service announcements to raise awareness about Celiac Disease. How exciting is that! The first PSA aired in May and if you missed it, you can watch it now, it’s embedded below.
Celiac disease is the ONLY autoimmune condition that we know, with 100% certainty, what the environmental trigger is. It’s gluten and unfortunately for drug companies, the key for anyone suffering from celiac or non-celiac gluten intolerance is to eat a 100% gluten free diet. Such a simple solution. Why isn’t there more information out there about that? Why doesn’t everyone know about celiac disease and why doesn’t everyone know how critical it is to not get any–not even a crumb–of gluten in the diet for those dealing with gluten intolerance. Why? Because the drug companies can’t make any money off of this treatment. Pharmaceutical companies can’t patent a gluten free diet. Though I’m sure they’ve tried.
Celiac disease affects more people than any other disease–an astounding 1 in 133 North Americans suffer from it though 95% don’t even realize it. If you’ve tried to get it diagnosed, you know how difficult it can be to get your medical care provider to run the tests or do the biopsy you need. And that’s only celiac disease, non-celiac gluten intolerance may be closer to 1 in 10 sufferers and most medical care providers don’t even believe it exists, let alone will provide support and education for the patient to uncover it! With so many people experiencing celiac or non-celiac gluten intolerance, shouldn’t we all be aware of it? Well that goes without saying, but what purpose does that serve? It only means millions of people won’t suffer from a debilitating and potentially deadly disease. It only means that millions of people can live a healthier, more vibrant life. But unfortunately, our doctors are often controlled by pharmaceutical companies (just like our politicians are often controlled by oil and gas lobbyists), why diagnose something, why treat something, when there isn’t money to be made from it? Sad isn’t it?
So many people could benefit from knowing how such a simple dietary change could change their life. So many people could benefit from knowing how to ask and who to ask for a diagnosis. So many people could benefit from learning how to do an elimination diet on their own if they can’t get medical support. But no. Instead we will turn on the television and listen to commercials about much rarer conditions, such as social anxiety disorder and how people should take Paxil, Zoloft or others which may not treat the problem, may make the problem worse, may cause suicidal tendencies, may cause anal leakage (yeah cuz that’s gonna help with social anxiety!). There are no side effects to treating gluten intolerance with a gluten free diet other than initial detox symptoms and feeling healthier, better, losing weight, gaining energy and all of the other possible wonderful side effects. Oh did I mention it can help with social anxiety, depression and other neurological conditions! Where’s the money in that? Almost every medical condition that drug companies publicize and monetize may (not always, but may) be the result of gluten. Where’s the money in that?